


this friend of mine

by sunset_madi



Series: alex mercer and julie molina besties era [3]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina are Best Friends, Bisexual Julie Molina, Gay Alex Mercer (Julie and The Phantoms), Good Friend Alex Mercer (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina Appreciation, Minor Flynn/Julie Molina, Minor Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Protective Alex Mercer (Julie and The Phantoms), This is so soft, i love them sm, sapphic julie molina, theres lots of hugging, they are my comfort characters, why do all my stories involve someone crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_madi/pseuds/sunset_madi
Summary: "Yeah, but we're not talking about me," she reminded him. "We're talking about my friend.""Right, obviously."orThe first two one shots were about Julie helping Alex. It's time for him to return the favor.Takes place sometime after "jujubes."
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina
Series: alex mercer and julie molina besties era [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2180388
Comments: 2
Kudos: 57





	this friend of mine

**Author's Note:**

> we've seen enough of therapist julie molina for now. time for us to get therapist alex mercer.
> 
> again, please send me prompts! it makes writing these so much easier.

"Hey, Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are the other guys?"

"Reg is with Ray and I think Luke is checking on his parents. Do you want me to poof over and go get them? I don't know if I'll be able to get Luke, but-"

"No, no. That's okay. I just... Can we talk?"

"Oh my god, are you breaking up with me?" he asked in a sarcastically dramatic fashion. He fanned his face to dry non-existent tears. "I should have seen this coming."

Julie rolled her eyes. "Shut up and scoot over, you loser."

He moved his legs so that Julie had room to sit on the couch next to him. "What's wrong, Jujubes?"

She resisted the urge to glare at him for the nickname. "Nothing's wrong. It's just... confusing, you know?" 

Julie knew Alex could understand what she was feeling. Not because of all the questions he asked when Luke and Reggie couldn't care less about logistics. Not because she knew that he had severe anxiety. Though those things were definitely factors.

"Yeah, I can get that."

"I wanted to ask you something." She struggled to meet his eyes. She wasn't sure why.

"Shoot."

She took in a deep breath. "When... How did you know?"

"You're being strangely cryptic. Know what?"

"That you were gay. Asking for a friend."

"Oh," said Alex. "Friend?"

"Yeah, she's thinks she might be... not straight. But I was thinking, I don't know. Maybe you could help her?"

"I'd love to help her. And tell her that if she ever needs help at any time, I'm always there for her, okay?"

"I-I would, but I can't really tell people about you guys." 

Julie knew that Alex could see right through her (which was ironic because he was the one made of air), but for some reason, she was hesitant to say anything out loud.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot." Alex was playing along with her. "Well, the realization is different for everyone, you know? Some people always know. Some people go through a really bad denial phase. That can sometimes turn into internalized homophobia."

"What about you?"

"Me? Well, it was a bit of both for me, honestly. I had crushes on boys in elementary school. I knew I was gay, but I didn't want to be. My parents told me it was wrong. Everyone said it wasn't allowed. 

"I tried to make it seem like I was straight. Not just to other people, but to myself, too. I wanted to be 'normal' so badly, I tried to convince myself that what I was going through was a phase and I just hadn't met the right girl yet. Eventually, I got rid of that narrative and faced who I was head on. It wasn't easy, but i did it and it was the best feeling in the world."

Julie didn't say anything. She just nodded, still not looking at him.

"But like I said," he continued. "It's different for everyone. So tell me about this... friend of yours."

She sighed. "Okay, so she has liked guys before. There's even a guy she likes right now. She knows that she likes them. But then there's this girl who... Well, they've always been friends. But sometimes, she thinks maybe it could be more? Like, she isn't in love with this girl and it doesn't pain her to be in the friend zone, but... Maybe they could've been something, y'know?"

"Julie, you're 15. You don't need to be in love with someone to be attracted to them. Even a little crush is a pretty sure sign that you're-"

"Yeah, but we're not talking about me," she reminded him. "We're talking about my friend."

"Right, obviously."

"The first guy she really liked was your typical schoolgirl crush. She stuttered while talking to him. Constantly embarrassed herself in front of him. By the time he noticed her, she had moved on to someone else.

"The guy she likes right now is much more... real? It's complicated. She doesn't stutter or feel the need to impress him, but there's definitely something there. Something more mature? Being with him is so easy, but hard at the same time. Her words, not mine."

"Then this girl. She doesn't really know what's going on there. She definitely likes her as more than a friend. But it's still different. Does that make sense? Being with her is just so... familiar. It's easy. Not hard in any way."

Nick. Luke. Flynn.

"So, she likes these two people at the same time?"

"Yeah."

"I guess you could say she's in... double trouble?"

Julie's head snapped to face him. "What?"

"When you were letting me surf the internet with your laptop I found this thing called Urban Dictionary. Double trouble apparently means when you like two people at the same time."

"Oh. I... didn't know that." She wasn't sure if Alex knew that Double Trouble was also the name of the band she and Flynn wanted to make when they were kids. She decided not to bring it up.

"Yeah, I looked up a bunch of stuff. The definition of "dirty candy" was kind of disturbing. You don't think Carrie had that in mind when she named the group, right? I mean, you guys are kids!"

"I... highly doubt Carrie had that intention. But, just out of curiosity, what does it say on Urban Dictionary?"

"You don't wanna know."

"Yes, I do."

"Julie, as your self proclaimed older brother-"

"No, that's Reggie."

"-I am begging you: no."

"Fine, I won't," she lied.

"Okay, good. Back to your friend."

"She... she knows what she is. And she's not ashamed of it, she's just... scared? Even if she knows that the people around her are going to be okay with it, she doesn't want them to see her differently. She doesn't have anything against change, but it's terrifying sometimes."

Alex grabbed Julie's hand which was resting on her knee. "I can understand that. I really can. Coming out was the scariest thing I'd ever done. Even if my parents were more open to it, it still would've been hard. The guys almost immediately took me in, but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid to be myself when I'm with other people. I know how stressful change can be, but it can be for the better sometimes."

"So much has happened already. She doesn't want anymore change. She likes the way things are now."

"Look, Jujubes. It's a really scary change, but it's one that needs to happen at some point. Like when I had to get my tonsils removed."

Julie frowned. "How...?"

"I don't know. I had a tonsillectomy when I was a kid get and I was scared. The doctor told me it that it would make things easier for me. That things would get better if I went through with it. It was the first analogy that came into my head."

She wrinkled her nose and tilted her head. "That doesn't... Okay."

"My point is, when you tell people-"

"You mean my friend."

"Yeah. When your friend tells people who she is, they might see her differently, but not because she's a different person. There's just this one thing about her that's people didn't know before but will know afterwards. They'll know who she really is. The thing is, if she doesn't tell anyone, she'll never be rejected. But she won't be accepted either. Some people never come out and that's their decision, but take it from me. Hiding who you are from the people you love really, really sucks. Rejection is better than not knowing what people think."

"I- She knows that. But... how can you be so sure?"

"About what?"

"About everything! Who you are! How people are going to react! How-" she shook her head and buried it in her hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."

"Yeah, you must really feel for this friend of yours, huh?"

"Yeah, I do. She's a little bit of a mess right now and I don't know how to help her. It's killing me." Her voice cracked.

"Do you need a hug?"

"Wow, what gave it away?"

He chuckled slightly and pulled her into a one armed embrace. "There are going to be those who don't accept it. You can never know how people going to react. You may have a hunch depending on who it is, but a hunch is a hunch. Sometimes reliable, but not always true. All you can do is hope for the best. And if people don't react well, they don't deserve to be apart of your... her life. Okay?"

Julie nodded but still seemed hesitant, so Alex gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "I have a hunch," he said, "that the people in your friend's life are going to love her and accept her. No matter what."

"She told me that she's tried. Every time she tries to say it out loud, she... she can't do it. And she doesn't know why."

"That could be because she isn't comfortable with the label she's using. Maybe it's just hard because she's in denial. Or she just isn't ready to tell people."

"So what should she do?"

"She doesn't have to use a label if she doesn't want-"

"She does. She knows what label she wants to use and it feels right. But she... isn't ready to say it yet."

"That's okay too. Tell your friend to practice."

"Practice?"

"Saying the words. Tell her to try saying it to herself when she's alone. Maybe to someone she trusts. A friend or a family member. And eventually, she'll be ready to tell the world."

"Yeah. I'll- I'll tell her that. Thanks." She stood up. And started walking away before stopping and turning around to face him. "Hey, Lexie?"

"Yeah, Jujubes?"

"You're my friend. And you're my family. Right?"

"Of course.”

"I like girls."

There it was. She had said it. She felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

He stood up. "I am so proud of you."

She couldn't help it. She dove into his arms and burst into tears. Alex wrapped arms around her and stroked her hair. "This doesn't change anything, obviously. I am so honored that you trust me enough to tell me." She sobbed harder. "Let it all out," he said. She did.

"You always know the perfect thing to say, don't you?" she said in between sniffles.

"Just saying what I wish my parents had said to me. How's it feel?"

She pulled away so he could see her tear streaked face. She was wearing a wide grin. "Pretty amazing. I can't imagine what it's gonna feel like when I tell everyone else." The smile was wiped off her face. "Oh god, I have to tell everyone else."

"Baby steps, Jujubes. Baby steps."

"Ugh, you ruined it."

He laughed but then turned serious. "Okay, but we need to have an agreement."

Julie wiped face with her sleeve. "What?"

"We are never referring to you in third person again."

She laughed. "Agreed. Hey, now when we finally go through all that queer media I was telling you about, I can tell you about all the female characters I crushed on!"

"Yeah, you can."

Luke poofed in. He took a look at Julie's bloodshot eyes and red nose. "You okay? What happened here?"

"I'll tell you, Luke," Julie assured him. "Someday. But, yeah I'm fine. Better than fine. I'm great."

Luke wasn't one to leave things like that alone. Alex shot him a look that told him that he needed to back off for now. They had a silent staring competition until Luke sighed and gave in. "Okay, whatever. I got an idea for a new song, but the melody is a little off, so Julie, I'm gonna need your help with that. Let me just get my notebook and write it down before I forget the lyrics and we can get to work."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure."

When he was out of earshot, Alex whispered, "So that guy you were talking about-"

"Shut up, Mercer." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and plopped onto the couch. Alex started walking towards the drums. "What does that even mean?" Julie said with a disgusted look on her face.

"What? Alex glanced at her screen. "Oh god. See, this is why I told you not to look up dirty candy."

**Author's Note:**

> not me projecting everything i went through onto julie and alex
> 
> kudos, comments, prompts appreciated. thanks for reading!
> 
> EDIT: this happened like, RIGHT after i posted this chapter but ppl on tik tok were talking about how they ship julie and alex. i dont have tik tok, i only know this bc of twitter) and i am genuinely mad rn. ALEX IS GAY. DO NOT SHIP HIM WITH GIRLS. im lowkey scared that ppl are going to find a way to twist these one shots into something romantic (even though theyre all about BEING GAY). so here we go: ALEX AND JULIE HAVE NO ROMANTIC INTEREST IN EACH OTHER. ALEX IS CANONICALLY GAY. ITS VERY HARD FOR US TO GET REPRESENTATION, PLEASE DONT INVALIDATE IT. if you ship alex and julie, id honestly rather you didn't read my work. thank you and goodnight.


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